Ultrasounds During Pregnancy – How Many and How Often?

Ultrasounds are a regular part of prenatal medical care for most pregnant women, and they provide parents with their first glimpses of their developing baby. Most women need very few scans, though, and medical guidelines firmly state that ultrasounds during pregnancy should be performed only when there is a valid medical indication, not simply to create keepsake photographs or videos.

According to the
American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, there have been no reports of documented negative effects on the fetus from diagnostic ultrasound procedures. But, the ACOG discourages the use of ultrasounds for nonmedical purposes because while there are no confirmed biological effects caused by scans, there's always a possibility that some could be identified in the future.

"The first is, ideally, in the first trimester to confirm the due date, and the second is at 18 weeks to confirm normal anatomy and the sex of the baby," explains Dr. Mendiola. "As long as these ultrasounds are normal and mom's abdomen measures consistent with her gestation, then that is all most women need."

Dr. Mendiola notes that if there are any problems with these initial ultrasounds, or if there is a discrepancy in the fetus size along the way, a repeat ultrasound is warranted.

"Additionally, if moms have medical issues such as diabetes or hypertension," she says, "then they too get additional scans."